New State Budget Includes Study for Blue Line Expansion to Lynn
The MBTA is struggling to deliver satisfactory service within its core area, but lawmakers are poised to ask the transit authority to study more expansion.
Pensions, Debt, Health Care Eat Up State Budget, Leaving Less for Investments
About half of the $42.7 billion Senate budget proposal is consumed by spending in just three areas – health care, pensions and debt service – leaving some senators worried about underinvestment in other priority areas like transportation, housing and the environment.
Beacon Hill to Hold Closed-Door Meetings on Tax Changes
The state Senate working group formed to take a deep dive into tax policy and recommend ways to modernize and update the tax code will hold closed meetings, according to its chairman.
Major Bump to Affordable Housing Left Out of House Budget
Major amendments sought by affordable housing advocates failed to pass during this year’s fiscal 2020 House budget debate, but lawmakers added more than $2 million in funding for local housing programs and affordable vouchers.
Baker: No New Taxes Needed to Fix State’s Transportation Mess
Facing blame from Democrats for mounting public frustration with clogged roads and public transit problems and support for better mass transit service, Gov. Charlie Baker said the state doesn’t need to raise taxes to confront the congestion problems.
Connolly Withdraws Capital Gains Tax Proposal, Cites Need for ‘Organizing’
House members from both parties on Monday folded their cards on revenue amendments, deferring to House leaders and their call to debate revenues later this year and not as part of the annual budget debate.
DeLeo Suggests Policy Subtractions to Speed Budget Deal
With the state’s annual budget now nine days late, House Speaker Robert DeLeo on Monday floated the idea of separating the policy proposals in the spending bill from the dollars and cents needed to fund the government in an effort to reach a compromise.
State Savings, Spending to Get Lift from $1.2B Revenue Surplus
Projecting that state tax collections will surpass estimates for the year that just ended by $1.2 billion, the Baker administration is forecasting a surplus of $150 million to $200 million in funds that are not yet earmarked for any purpose and signaling to the Legislature that it may have up to $200 million in additional money to play with for the fiscal 2019 budget that is nearly a week overdue.
Massachusetts House Passes Its Version of $41B State Budget
The Massachusetts House has passed its version of a $41 billion state budget.
Massachusetts Still Without Budget, Talks Set To Resume
Five days into its new fiscal year, Massachusetts remains without a budget.
Summer Nears, And Senators Say State Visitor Centers Snubbed
State senators last week touted myriad investments sprinkled throughout the state’s first $40 billion budget, but slammed the door on $200,000 for visitor centers, disappointing lawmakers whose districts are heavily dependent on tourists flowing in from other states.
Baker Reviewing Options As State Budget Woes Deepen
Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration said it is “reviewing all options” after a disappointing April revenue report left an even deeper hole in the state’s budget.
Rosenberg Sees $200M Gap In State Budget
Unlike Gov. Charlie Baker and House leaders,...
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